Tuesday, October 3, 2017

INVINCIBLE Part Two: Sujiang

The
Shenwujun labored through most of the night, picking through the remains of the
rebel camp. In the fullness of time, the internal troops regrouped and
returned, but by then there was nothing more for them to do. The Shenwujun made
camp upriver of the rebel camp, and bedded down for the few hours to dawn.

After
breakfast, Captain Cao gathered the men around him. It was a small group, only thirty
of them, but Shenwujun rarely gathered in larger numbers.

“Gentlemen,
good work last night. You took on a rebel group three times your number and
won. Impressive work, even by our standards. Well done.”

Regular
soldiers might have cheered. The Shenwujun simply smiled and nodded
approvingly. They were still in the field. Still at war.

“Now
the bad news,” Cao said. “Our target, Mojian Han, was not among the
dead. We found no trace of him or his infamous sword.”

Regular
soldiers might have groaned. The Shenwujun simply remained silent.

“Our
campaign continues. But there’s been a new development.

“We
ran into spirit warriors last night. The rebels have the knowledge and the
means to bond with infernal spirits. They are better-trained and
better-equipped than we thought.

“Worse,
the summoning circle they used was based on blood magic. Wangliang blood
magic. The words written in the circle come from the language of the frontier
wangliang tribes. And that means the Grand Union is involved.”

Now the men whispered among themselves. North
of the Empire, the Grand Union claimed it was a land where all races could live
together in peace. Zhang knew the truth: the Union’s Immortals subjugated every
living being in the Union under their rule, and used wangliang and humans as
spear fodder in their countless wars with the Empire.

But
this was the first time the Union was supporting an internal rebellion like
this.

“We
cannot overlook this, but neither do we have manpower to spare,” Cao continued.
“So long as Mojian Han lives, our campaign against the Tiandi Lianhe
Association continues. We must continue to support the regular Army. At the
same time, we must see if the Tiandi Lianhe Association were truly cooperating
with wangliang, and if so, whether the Union is involved. Higher command cannot
spare any more men to assist us. We must conduct the investigation ourselves.
Ensign Zhang?”

“Captain,”
Zhang replied.

“I’m
dispatching you to investigate the situation.”

Zhang
blinked.

“Just
me?”

“Yes.
I need everybody else to hunt the rebels. It’s a tough assignment, but if
anyone can do it, it’s Zhang Wudi.”

The
men smiled and jeered good-naturedly. Zhang simply nodded. He had long ago
given up any notion of persuading his comrades to stop calling him Zhang the
Invincible.

“Aren’t
investigations the responsibility of the Censorate?” Zhang asked.

“Criminal
investigations. This concerns national security, making it our business.”

“Very
well,” Zhang said. “Do we have any leads?”

“None.
We were unable to recover any intelligence materials from the rebel camp.”

And
dead men told no tales.

“Then
we have to do this the hard way.”

“Indeed.
Head to the city of Sujiang. It’s the district capital. The local Xianzhang
should be able to assist you. Keep me updated.”

“Very
well. By your leave, I shall depart.”

“May
the gods watch over you.”

“We
are Shenwujun. They always do.”

#

Sujiang
was a hundred and sixty li away, through wending forest roads and rugged hill
trails. Most men would need a horse to travel that distance in a day.

Zhang
walked.

With
every step, every breath, he inhaled qi into his dantian. On the
exhale, he expelled toxins and waste qi into the air, returning it to
the cosmos. Energy filled every fiber of his being, keeping him going long
after a lesser man would have needed to rest. His step lightened, his gait
loosened, his muscles relaxed. He walked from sunup to sundown and sunup again.
For sustenance, he sipped at a calabash of water and chewed dried strips of
oversalted pork. It was the only time he allowed himself to stop—the doctors
said eating while walking interfered with digestion.

A
man wandering the frontier alone was looking to die alone. But Zhang had left
on the black uniform of the Shenwujun and wore his dao at his hip.
Neither man nor beast dared to disturb him.

Half
a lifrom his destination, he saw the first sign of civilization: a long
line of carriages snaking down the road. Merchants and travelers from the rest
of the Empire. He headed for the front of the queue. The people complained,
then went silent when they saw who he was.

The
guard commander did not.

“What
are you doing?” he demanded. “Get back in line like everyone else.”

Zhang
reached into his ring and drew a brass medallion.

“I
am a Shenwujun on Imperial business. Let me through.”

Any
other day and he would have waited patiently for his turn. But every hour he
spent doing nothing was an hour the rebels gained. And despite his mastery of qigong,
a deep ache sank into his calloused feet.

The
guard’s lips moved as he pretended to read the words embossed on the medallion’s
face. Finally, he nodded sharply and gestured at his men. Zhang passed through
without even a perfunctory inspection and headed for the first inn he saw. The
signboard said it was the Plum Blossom Inn.

An
aged woman waited at the counter. She greeted him with a smile and a bow.

“Good
morning, honored Shenwujun. Would you be staying with us?”

Zhang
nodded. “What are your rates for a basic room?”

“One fen a night.”

“And
a bath?”

“We
don’t have one. You can find the public bath next to the market.”

“Very
well.”

From
his interspatial ring, Zhang produced a silver ingot and handed it to the
woman. She goggled.

“It’s
too much!” she protested. “I can’t accept this!”

“I’ll
be staying in the city for a while. Consider it a deposit. You can give me the
change when I check out.”

She
beamed.

“Thank
you, Your Excellency!”

She
handed him a worn key. It called out to him, promising rest and relief. It
would be so easy to just take a bath, head for his room, strip off his clothes
and fall into bed.

Instead,
he asked, “How do I get to the yamen from here?”

“Go
down the road to the marketplace. Turn left at the cobbler’s, then make a right
at the clinic. You should see the yamen down the street.”

“Thank
you, laoban niang.”

At
the public bath, Zhang washed off the dust and grime from the road. Breakfast
was a pair of steamed buns at the market. Then it was off to the yamen, a
walled complex where the local government officers lived and worked. A pair of
stern-faced constables stood watch at the gate with repeating crossbows.

“I’m
here to see the Xianzhang,” Zhang declared, holding up his medallion.

The
guard cleared his throat. “Please allow this one to arrange an appointment with
the Xianzhang.”

“Go.”

The
guard retreated inside. A minute later, he reappeared.

“Your
Excellency, please follow this one.”

The
guards escorted him into the main courtyard, where a functionary met him. Zhang
rang the gong, formally announcing his presence, and entered the main hall.

“Ensign
Zhang Tianyou of the Shenwujun!” the minor bureaucrat proclaimed.

The
Xianzhang sat at a high table at the far end of the room. He was dressed in a
rich emerald robe of fine silk. His table was covered by a vivid green
tablecloth, and by his right hand was a teapot and a set of cups. The
functionary seated himself at a smaller table at the great man’s side and took
up a pen; it appeared he was the Xianzhang’s scribe. At every corner in the
room, the constables on duty stared at the Shenwujun.

Zhang
marched up to the Xianzhang and bowed deeply.

“Xianzhang,
thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I deeply apologize for the
inconvenience.”

“It
is no trouble at all. It is my great honor to host the great Zhang Wudi.”

Zhang
snapped his head up. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Everyone
in the frontier has heard of your exploits. You are a living legend.”

“Thank
you. But if anyone deserves the title of Wudi, it is my father.”

“True,
but a tiger of a father does not beget a dog of a son.”

“Your
Excellency is too kind. May I know your honored name?”

“I
am Lee Deyao.”

“Lee
Xianzhang, I am here on a mission of vital importance to the state, and I
request your assistance.”

“Of
course. Come, sit, have some tea. Please tell us why you have come today. Is
this about the rebels?”

As
if by magic, slaves appeared, carrying a chair and a cup of steaming tea. Zhang
sat and sipped at the brew. It was superb, better than the tea he was issued.

“When
the sandpiper and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. The Grand Union had
designs on the frontier for centuries, and they deploy wangliang as vanguards
and saboteurs.”

“Then
I’m glad you’re here. The provincial yamen told me a group of Shenwujun would
be operating in the area. Are you with them?”

“I
have no knowledge of their present activities,” Zhang said truthfully. “I am on
an independent assignment.”

“Ah.
Did the provincial yamen send you?”

“No.”

Lee
stared expectantly at Zhang. Zhang simply sipped at his tea and said nothing. A
moment later, Lee broke the silence.

“I…see.
Last I heard from the provincial yamen, they said they would send a runner to a
regiment in the field. I thought the runner must have caught up with the Army.”

“I
heard from my comrades that they found signs of yaomo operating in your
district. I was sent to investigate. Before I left, we have not received any
reports from the provincial yamen.”

“Then
it must be Heaven’s will that you are here. Three days ago, a group of
wangliang attacked and occupied Suchen Temple. I would have sent the local
garrison, but they are away hunting the Tiandi Lianhe Association.”

“I
can take care of the problem for you.”

“Just
one man?”

Zhang
raised an eyebrow.

“Ah,
my apologies,” Lee said. “I forgot who I am speaking to.”

“No
offense taken. What can you tell me about the attack?”

“Speak
to the monks at the temple in our city. They reported the incident to me. They
can give you the full details.”

“Very
well.” Zhang finished his tea. “Thank you for your tea. I must leave now, but
if you have any additional information, either about yaomo or rebels, you can
leave a message for me at the Plum Blossom Inn.”

As
Zhang stood, Lee did also.

“Ensign
Zhang, may Heaven watch over you.”

“I’m
a Shenwujun. Heaven is always looking after us.”

#

The
temple sat in an isolated corner of the city. The monks busied themselves with
their daily chores: gardening, laundry, general cleaning. He found a monk and
requested to see the Zhuchi. The monk led Zhang to a small chamber that served
as the Zhuchi’s office.

The
Zhuchi, dressed in a simple saffron robe, sat at a plain wooden table. Papers
and scrolls lay stacked neatly in a corner. Another monk worked at a smaller
table, painstakingly examining a book. As Zhang entered, both monks stood and
bowed, pressing their hands together.

“Good
morning, Your Excellency,” the Zhuchi said. “To what do we owe the honor of
hosting such a powerful Shenwujun today?”

Zhang
blinked. “You know I’m one?”

The
Zhuchi smiled beatifically. “Aside from your black uniform? It is plain as day
in your aura. You have contracted with a powerful celestial spirit.”

Auras
were invisible to the naked eye; people needed special training or celestial
assistance to see them. The monks here were the real deal. The meditation and qi
exercises that empowered Shenwujun came from various holy orders, and Zhang had
no doubt that the monks had concealed their most secret teachings from the
state.

“Yes,
indeed,” Zhang admitted. “How may I address you?”

“I
am Lin Guo An. And yourself?”

“Zhang
Tianyou.”

The
aide laid out cups of tea for everyone. Zhang accepted the beverage gladly; the
long march had left him parched, and he hadn’t had a chance to refill his
calabashes.

“What
can I do for you today?” the Zhuchi asked.

“I
am here to track down yaomo in the region. Lee Xianzhang told me about a
wangliang attack on Suchen Temple, and referred me to you.”

“Well,
you’re in luck.” Lee gestured at his aide. “This is Huang Qingjian from Suchen
Temple. He personally witnessed the attack. He’s been helping me ever since he
arrived here.”

“Your
Excellency,” Huang said, bowing. “How may this one help?”

“Please
tell me what happened during the attack,” Zhang said.

“Late
at night, I rose from bed with a stomachache. The latrine was outside the
temple grounds. After I finished my business, I saw a group of men approaching
the temple entrance. I was still in the forest then, hidden from view. I wanted
to call out to them, then saw that they were holding torches. They weren’t men.
They were wangliang.”

“Please
describe the wangliang.”

“They
were short, about chest height. Long black hair, claws for fingers and toes.
They wore rough scraps for clothes, but their weapons were bright and sharp.”

“How
many wangliang were there?”

“About
thirty.”

“And
what kind of weapons did they have?”

“Shields
and spears.”

Which
was the hallmark of the Union’s wangliang foot infantry.

“What
did you do?” Zhang asked.

He
looked down. “I…I hid behind a tree. I was too afraid to move. I’m...sorry.”

“It
was a wise choice. You’re alive now, yes?”

“...Yes.”

“Sometimes,
hiding is the only thing we can do.”

Huang
looked up and nodded.

“What
happened after the wangliang arrived?” Zhang asked.

“They
surrounded the temple. A team gathered in front of the gate. They chanted
something, and the gate exploded. The wangliang charged in. Moments later, I...
My brothers... They screamed and screamed and...”

His
voice broke. The Zhuchi patted the man’s shoulder.

“Peace.
Breathe and relax. It’s over now.”

Huang
obeyed. “I couldn’t stay. I stumbled out the forest and ran. Next thing I knew,
I was at the city gates.”

“Thank
you,” Zhang said. “Did you see what kind of magic they used?”

“No.
I just saw a flash of light, then a loud explosion.”

“Very
well. Do you know the current situation at the temple?”

“The
Xianzhang has declared the area off-limits,” Lin said. “With the local garrison
hunting rebels, the Xianzhang felt it best to wait for the Shenwujun to come.
We don’t know if the wangliang are still there.”

“I’m
here now,” Zhang said. “I can take care of the problem.”

Lin’s
face fell. “Yes. I’m sure you can.”

“What
do you mean by that?”

“Your
Excellency, do you consider yourself a follower of the Taifo’s teachings?”

“No
celestial spirit would bond with a Shenwujun who will not.”

“So
it is. Yet the nature of your work violates the First Precept: refraining from
killing living beings, both humans and non-humans. By providing you information
about the wangliang, we are knowingly contributing to the death of living
beings. It is a violation of the oaths we swore as monks.”

“You
speak as if there will be bloodshed.”

Lin
raised an eyebrow. “Of course. In the celestial hierarchy, your phoenix is
styled a destroyer of evil. She will not bond with anyone who is not aligned
with her essential nature.”

Zhang
blinked. “You can see her?”

“Of
course.”

Zhang
shook his head. Most people, even Shenwujun, couldn’t see bond-spirits unless
they manifested in the human realm.

“Then
you must know that her existence is fully in accordance with the will of
Heaven,” Zhang said. “Wangliang are brutal yaomowho prey on humans at every opportunity. Your
brothers at Suchen Temple learned that great cost. To stop them from doing more
harm, it may well be necessary to kill them.”

“Yet
in doing so you will also shoulder the karma of killing, and the suffering that
comes with it.”

“So
be it. I cannot stand by and allow the wangliang to go unpunished.”